Saint Jerome kneeling before a crucifix

Saint Jerome kneeling before a crucifix

ca 1555

Etching and engraving on paper

Mått 87,20 x 47,40 cm

G EL 111

Bequest of Egron Lundgren, 1875

Saint Jerome was a popular motif in 15th and 16th century art. He lived by the ideals of asceticism; in the work, this is emphasized by the skull, among other things. The skull was often used to symbolise the transience of life and the material world. The detailed renderings of face, hands and hair, in combination with the size of the main figure, contribute to conveying a sense of monumentality and intimacy at the same time. Battista Franco often utilised both etching and engraving in the same work. Saint Jerome is pressed from a single plate and is regarded as one of the largest 16th century intaglio prints in terms of dimension. It is printed on three sheets of paper and only few copies are known.

Printed. Prints as collector's items, mass media and showpieces, Göteborg, Göteborgs konstmuseum, 14/03/2020 - 16/08/2020